Senior Counsel

Job description

Accountabilities Draft, review, and negotiate complex, business-critical commercial agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, supply agreements, development and manufacturing agreements, services agreements, quality agreements, and NDAs. Advise senior management and business stakeholders on legal and regulatory risks affecting CDMO and life sciences operations, including GMP, pharmacovigilance interfaces, data privacy, competition, and related compliance considerations. Develop practical risk-mitigation strategies and contractual language that protect legal rights while supporting commercial objectives and appropriate risk tolerance. Serve as a principal legal advisor and thought leader, building relationships with key internal and external decision makers and representing the Legal function in executive forums when appropriate. Monitor emerging legal and regulatory developments and translate them into long-term legal strategies, frameworks, policies, and approaches that support future products, services, and strategic objectives. Partner with Commercial and Program teams on strategic, high-value collaborations, bids, and transactions, driving issue resolution and facilitating timely deal closure. Independently manage a high-volume and complex caseload, prioritizing matters according to enterprise value, legal risk, and strategic importance. Provide guidance on non-contentious intellectual property matters, including licensing frameworks, background and foreground IP, know-how, freedom-to-operate considerations, and IP allocation standards. Design and deliver legal training, playbooks, and educational programs that strengthen commercial legal awareness and compliance across functions and regions. Improve legal processes, templates, and contract lifecycle management practices to increase efficiency, consistency, quality, and turnaround times. Manage external legal counsel across areas such as regulatory matters, disputes, employment, and real estate, ensuring quality, appropriate budgets, and timely delivery. Support dispute avoidance and resolution, as well as corporate matters and transactions, while protecting the organization’s legal interests and reputation. Contribute to policy development, compliance program implementation, and alignment across U.S., U.K., Danish, and global legal and compliance teams. Requirements Bachelor’s or equivalent college degree and Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. Active admission and good standing in at least one U.S. state bar; North Carolina admission is preferred. 8–12 years of relevant legal experience within a corporate law firm and/or in-house legal department, preferably within CDMO, life sciences, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or a closely related industry. Extensive knowledge of commercial law, contracting principles, contracting practices, and legal design, with the judgment to resolve complex matters with limited information. Demonstrated ability to serve as a senior-level legal advisor and influence strategic decisions across a complex organization. Excellent negotiation, executive communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills. Strong analytical, pragmatic, and customer-focused problem-solving abilities, with the ability to balance immediate business needs against long-term strategic objectives. Experience working collaboratively in matrixed, international, and cross-functional environments. Familiarity with life sciences compliance matters, including data privacy and GDPR, competition law, and anti-bribery requirements. Understanding of international contracting practices and multi-jurisdictional legal and risk assessments. Proficiency with modern legal technology, including document management, electronic signature solutions, contract lifecycle management platforms, and collaboration tools. Strong business acumen, leadership, negotiation, follow-up, and organizational skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining strong attention to detail and stakeholder communication. Ability to manage legal matters with commercial awareness, budget discipline, and a focus on practical outcomes. Academic honors are preferred. Benefits Salary: $170,000–$210,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. Medical insurance. Dental insurance. Vision insurance. Life insurance. 401(k) retirement plan. Paid time off. Remote work opportunity within the United States. Opportunity to work on complex, high-value legal matters within a global life sciences and CDMO environment. Exposure to senior leadership, strategic transactions, international operations, and cross-functional business initiatives. Opportunities to influence legal strategy, contracting standards, compliance culture, and process modernization. Commitment to equal employment opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Reasonable accommodations available throughout the hiring process for qualified individuals with disabilities. How Jobgether works: We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team. We appreciate your interest and wish you the best! Why Apply Through Jobgether? Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time. #LI-CL1 This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Counsel based in United States. This role offers the opportunity to serve as a principal legal advisor supporting complex commercial and strategic matters across a global life sciences and CDMO environment.You will provide sophisticated, business-focused counsel on contracts, regulatory risks, intellectual property, compliance, and high-value collaborations.The position requires strong judgment and autonomy, often addressing critical issues with incomplete information and competing business priorities.You will partner closely with commercial, program, compliance, and executive stakeholders across multiple functions and geographies.The role also offers the opportunity to shape contracting standards, legal frameworks, playbooks, and processes that influence long-term business strategy.You will help strengthen legal and compliance capabilities while balancing customer needs, enterprise risk, and sustainable growth.This is a senior-level opportunity for an experienced corporate attorney who can operate confidently in a complex, global, and highly regulated environment.